How to Choose a Racehorse Trainer: 7 Questions Every Owner Should Ask
Buying a racehorse is a major decision.
Choosing the person responsible for training that horse can be just as important.
Results naturally matter, but the owner-trainer relationship extends far beyond race day.
Your trainer will help guide decisions about your horse's training, development, entries, racing programme and future.
So how should you choose?
Here are seven questions worth asking.
1. How Will My Horse Be Trained?
Every horse is different.
Some develop quickly.
Others require patience.
Some thrive on a particular routine while another horse may need a completely different approach.
Ask a prospective trainer how they develop an individual training programme around each horse rather than simply fitting every horse into the same system.
At Patrick Owens Racing, every horse is treated as an individual, with its training programme based around its own needs, development and progress.
2. How Often Will I Hear From My Trainer?
Communication should be one of the most important considerations when choosing a racing yard.
Ask:
How often will I receive updates?
Will I receive photographs and videos?
Who will I speak to?
Will I know about race plans?
What happens if there is a problem?
Patrick Owens Racing provides owners with regular photographs, videos and progress updates, alongside discussions about future plans, entries and declarations.
And if you have a question, Patrick and Amy are only a phone call or email away.
3. Are the Costs Clear?
Nobody wants unexpected financial surprises.
Before choosing a trainer, ask for a clear explanation of:
Daily training fees
Farrier costs
Supplements
Transport
Race-day costs
Veterinary expenses
Racing administration costs
Any optional services
At Patrick Owens Racing, our current daily training fee is £60 + VAT, with additional costs explained separately.
Wherever possible, significant or unexpected expenditure is discussed before it is incurred.
4. Can I Visit My Horse?
For many people, visiting the yard is one of the best parts of ownership.
Ask whether owners are welcome to visit and whether you can see your horse training.
Patrick Owens Racing is based at The Authorized Yard at St Gatien Stables in Newmarket.
Owners are welcome to arrange visits and watch their horses exercise on Newmarket's famous gallops.
Patrick can talk you through the morning's work and explain how your horse is progressing.
5. Can the Trainer Help Me Find the Right Horse?
Not every prospective owner arrives with a horse.
If you need help buying one, ask about the trainer's experience sourcing horses.
Patrick's career has taken him across the international racing industry, and his experience includes working in Britain, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Dubai and New Zealand.
He can help owners looking for yearlings, breeze-up horses, horses in training and National Hunt prospects.
Most importantly, the objective should be to identify a horse that matches your ambitions and budget — rather than simply selling you whatever happens to be available.
6. What Kind of Owner Experience Can I Expect?
Owning a racehorse isn't simply a financial transaction.
It's an experience.
Ask what happens beyond receiving an invoice and watching the horse run.
Can you visit the gallops?
Will you receive race-day support?
Can you speak directly with the trainer?
Will you understand why particular racing decisions are being made?
When your horse runs for Patrick Owens Racing, the team will welcome you before racing and discuss the performance and future plans with you afterwards.
Whenever the day's schedule allows, we also enjoy spending time with owners over breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea.
Because race day should be memorable regardless of the result.
7. Do I Feel Comfortable With the Trainer?
This may be the simplest question, but perhaps one of the most important.
A successful owner-trainer relationship requires trust.
You should feel comfortable asking questions.
You should expect honest answers.
And you should know that difficult news will be communicated as openly as good news.
That relationship can last for many years and across many horses.
So don't choose purely from a website.
Visit the yard.
Meet the trainer.
Ask questions.
See the horses.
Experience the atmosphere.
Then decide whether it feels right for you.
Visit Patrick Owens Racing in Newmarket
Patrick Owens Racing welcomes prospective owners, established owners, partnerships, racing clubs and syndicate managers to The Authorized Yard.
Whether you already own horses or are only beginning to explore racehorse ownership, you are welcome to visit us before making any commitment.
Come and meet Patrick and Amy, see the horses and discover what being part of Patrick Owens Racing could look like.
Choosing a trainer is an important decision. Start with a conversation.
Contact Patrick Owens Racing to arrange an informal discussion or a visit to The Authorized Yard in Newmarket.